Less than 14 days ago, after Newt Gingrich’s come-from-behind win in South Carolina, there were some in Washington who believed there was no way Mitt Romney could stop Newt. Now, just one day before the Nevada caucuses, no Romney gaffe seems big enough to slow his campaign down.
Romney should be having the best week of his campaign. Not only did he handily win the Florida primary, gaining more votes in the contest than John McCain did in 2008, but it now looks like he could top 50 percent in tomorrow’s Nevada contest. Romney should be focused squarely on President Obama. He should be talking about the latest CBO report showing Obama will fail to follow through on his promise to cut the deficit in half over his first term in office; about the fact that the unemployment rate is expected to be over 8 percent on election day; and about Obama’s decision to force Catholics to provide birth control, including the Morning-After abortion pill, to their employees.
But those issues are not what he is having to talk about this week. Instead, the headlines are about Romney’s statement that he’s “not concerned about the very poor.” And Donald Trump. Yesterday, Romney and his wife and stood on a stage with billionaire-birther-reality-tv-show-star and accepted his endorsement for president. “There are some things you can’t imagine happening in your life and this is one of them,” Romney said after Trump endorsed him. Many conservatives are still trying to get over their disbelief as well.
Campaign 2012
Nevada Public Policy Polling‘s latest survey of likely Republican caucus goers shows Mitt Romney with a commanding 50 percent to 25 percent lead over Newt Gingrich. Worse for Gingrich, PPP’s survey shows that more Nevada Republicans dislike Gingrich, 49 percent, than like him, 41 percent.
Romney: Mitt Romney told the Las Vegas Sun’s Jon Ralston that he “misspoke” when he told CNN earlier this week that he was “not concerned about the very poor.” “I’ve said something that is similar to that but quite acceptable for a long time,” Romney said. “And you know when you do, I don’t know how many thousands of interviews, now and then you may get it wrong. And I misspoke. Plain and simple.”
Gingrich: Citing a botched meeting with Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, false reports he would receive an endorsement from Donald Trump, and a rescheduled event with Hispanic leaders, The New York Times declares that Newt Gingrich’s campaign “seems to be suffering from an unusual level of disarray” following his huge Florida loss.
Obama: President Obama told National Prayer Breakfast yesterday that he pushed Dodd-Frank and Obamacare because of Christ and that Jesus would support higher taxes on the rich.
Around the Bigs
The Washington Examiner, Holder defends handling of Fast and Furious: Attorney General Eric Holder angrily defended his response to the Justice Department’s Operation Fast and Furious program Thursday before the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee. After Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-N.Y., asked “How many more border patrol agents would have had to die as a part of operation Fast and Furious for you to take responsibility?” Holder said her comments were “beneath a member of Congress.”
The Wall Street Journal, Senate Passes Insider-Trading Ban: The United States Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass the Stop Trading On Congressional Knowledge Act, or Stock Act, which bans lawmakers from trading stocks based on information gained from their public service.
The Washington Post, Komen gives new explanation for cutting funds to Planned Parenthood: Susan G. Komen Foundation founder Nancy Brinker said yesterday that the organization pulled funding to Planned Parenthood because Komen only wants to support groups that directly provide breast health services, such as mammograms. She noted that Planned Parenthood was providing only mammogram referrals.
The New York Times, China Considers Offering Aid in Europe’s Debt Crisis: Prime Minister Wen Jiabao said Thursday that China would consider working with the International Monetary Fund to help shore up Europe’s finances, but he also made it clear there could be conditions attached.
Reuters, Panetta believes Israel may strike Iran this spring: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta believes there is a growing possibility Israel will attack Iran as early as April to stop Tehran from building a nuclear bomb, a senior Obama administration official, who declined to be identified, confirmed to CNN.
Righty Playbook
The American Spectator‘s John Tabin flags a Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg speech to an Egyptian television station where she advises: “I would not look to the US constitution, if I were drafting a constitution in the year 2012.”
Rod Dreher reports that liberal institutions like Yale University are out to destroy the Komen Foundation over their Planned Parenthood decision.
National Review‘s Jonah Goldberg makes the case that, if he were president, Romney would govern as a conservative since: “It is better to have a president who owes you than to have one who claims to own you.”
Lefty Playbook
Balloon Juice looks at the liberal campaign to destroy the Komen Foundation over its Planned Parenthood decision.
Century Foundation Fellow Michael Cohen argues that Romney’s worst campaign decision so far was embracing the Paul Ryan.
Steven Benen reports the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke begged House Republicans to leave the Fed alone.
